University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 6-1-2010 Mario Math with Millennials: The Impact of Playing the Nintendo DS on Student Achievement Adam Gelman University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Educational Administration and Supervision Commons, and the Educational Methods Commons Recommended Citation Gelman, Adam, "Mario Math with Millennials: The Impact of Playing the Nintendo DS on Student Achievement" (2010). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 237. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/237 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. Mario Math with Millennials: The Impact of Playing the Nintendo DS on Student Achievement __________ A Dissertation Presented to The Morgridge College of Education University of Denver __________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy __________ by Adam Gelman June 2010 Advisor: Kent Seidel i ©Copyright by Adam Gelman 2010 All Rights Reserved i Author: Adam Gelman Title: Mario Math with Millennials: The Impact of Playing the Nintendo DS on Student Achievement Advisor: Kent Seidel Degree Date: June 2010 ABSTRACT One of the biggest innovations of the last century has been the invention of the video game. Video games are an extremely popular form of entertainment today. While some question the use of video games in education, others argue that video games are one innovation that if introduced into the classroom, might change how teachers effectively engage learners. This quantitative study examined the impact of Brain Age 2 for the Nintendo DS on seventh grade achievement in math and on student attitude towards school. A sample of eighty seventh graders from the same school played the Nintendo DS daily for fifteen minutes over nine weeks. No significant difference was found in math achievement after using the game. Achievement in mathematics was analyzed with a paired t-test. Student attitude was measured using a survey and analyzed using nonparametric statistics. On the survey, students who played the Nintendo DS daily reported a more positive attitude towards their teachers, classes, and school than those that did not play the Nintendo DS. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 Statement of the problem ................................................................................................. 5 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................. 6 Research Questions.......................................................................................................... 6 1. What impact does playing Brain Age on a Nintendo DS have on student achievement in a math class? 2. What are students‘ (a) attitude toward classes and teachers, (b) attitude toward school (c) goal valuation (d) motivation and self-regulation, and (e) academic self perceptions? Definition of Terms ......................................................................................................... 7 Organization of the study ................................................................................................ 8 Chapter 2 – REVIEW OF LITERATURE ......................................................................... 9 Theoretical Framework: Engagement ............................................................................ 9 Millennials ..................................................................................................................... 11 Math Instruction in the United States ............................................................................ 15 Innovation ...................................................................................................................... 18 Video games as an instructional tool ............................................................................. 19 Video games in Education ............................................................................................. 21 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 22 Chapter 3- METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................... 24 Justification for Quasi-Experimental Design ................................................................ 25 Design ............................................................................................................................ 25 Population ...................................................................................................................... 26 Convenience .................................................................................................................. 28 Informed Consent and Ethical Considerations .............................................................. 29 The Role of the Researcher ........................................................................................... 29 Research Questions........................................................................................................ 29 Brain Age 2 .................................................................................................................... 30 Instrumentation .............................................................................................................. 33 Materials ........................................................................................................................ 35 Variables ........................................................................................................................ 35 Data collection ............................................................................................................... 36 Administration of the MAP test and School Attitude Assessment Survey ................... 36 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................. 37 Limitations of the study ................................................................................................. 38 Issues related to validity ................................................................................................ 38 iii Chapter 4- FINDINGS ...................................................................................................... 40 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 40 Results ........................................................................................................................... 40 Summary ........................................................................................................................ 61 Chapter 5- SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ................. 63 Conceptual Support ....................................................................................................... 63 Methods ......................................................................................................................... 65 Research Questions........................................................................................................ 66 Findings ......................................................................................................................... 66 Methodological Considerations ..................................................................................... 68 Conclusions ................................................................................................................... 69 Recommendations for Further Study ............................................................................. 77 Closing Comments ........................................................................................................ 77 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................. 78 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................. 83 APPENDIX A: School Attitude Assessment Survey .................................................. 83 APPENDIX B : School Attitude Assessment Survey Scoring Rubric ........................ 86 APPENDIX C: Assent Form for Research: Gaming as a Pedagogical Tool .............. 89 APPENDIX D: Consent Form for Research: Gaming as a Pedagogical Tool ............ 89 APPENDIX E: Principal Consent Form for Research: Gaming as a Pedagogical Tool ...................................................................................................................................... 91 APPENDIX F: District permission to research ........................................................... 93 iv CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION On January 8, 2002 George W. Bush signed into law The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). This educational reform increased the federal government‘s role in education. Its goal is to improve the performance in elementary and secondary education through higher standards and accountability. Under NCLB, every student must master mathematics